I'm Steph Parker, an award-winning strategist. I build marketing systems for brands.
Every campaign eventually falls flat without the right infrastructure behind it. My work acts as both a mirror and a window, helping organizations understand the external landscape but also see and solve for internal dynamics that determine success, drive growth, and inspire innovation.
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Experience and Skills
For more than 15 years, I've mixed scientific rigor with creative thinking to shape insights and the tactical plans that give them life. Though I’m a strategist by discipline, I’ve also sat on creative, research, media, and client services teams. Because of my unique career path, I'm able to jump into a project or program at any stage; I combine the depth of a subject-matter expert with the breadth of a generalist on every brief.
Leadership
When steering a team, I am laser-focused on protecting the integrity of "the work" but also the people doing it. I know that owning a P&L is about more than revenue and that sustainable growth is the result of collaboration. I've developed talent, managed departments, and launched profitable IP by prioritizing transparency. I'll tell it like it is to clients and colleagues alike, and then roll up my sleeves alongside them.
"Steph is a collaborative leader who builds confidence and capability in those around her... and a beacon of knowledge, unprompted praise, and constructive criticism."
Senior Vice President, in a performance review
Contact
In addition to freelance opportunities, I'm open to hearing about full-time leadership roles, teaching or training needs, and inclusive speaking gigs. If you're not sure what to say, ask me how I uncovered a game-changing insight about prostate cancer patients or won a pitch with one of my tattoos.
© 2026. All rights reserved. Based in Boston.
Read the Disclaimer and Cookie Policy when you get a chance.
And, here's my personal note on AI + how/where I use it.
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Skills
The bread and butter of my practice elevates four focus areas. Here's what that means.
Brand Strategy
Distills the realities of a business, the perspectives of its audiences, and the elements of culture that contextualize them into a concept an audience can grasp. In other words, a brand. This work creates and maintains the things which make or break a company's ability to stand out in a landscape full of choices, and our ever-evolving world.
let me tell you about...
Positioning an arm of a geeky tech company for creatives, maintaining category leadership for a mature oncology brand, or making an old-school bank feel fresh to a new generation.
Engagement Strategy
What makes brand strategy real. This is how the work is operationalized so that internal teams and the outside world have shared, consistent experiences that move them from paying attention to taking whatever desired actions are most impactful for the bottom line.
let me tell you about...
Exciting a multigenerational gamer pool about the sequel for a 30-year old title, securing a product beta to launch a travel brand's immersive campaign, or designing an interactive cognitive hub for Alzheimer's patients and their care partners.
Landscape Intelligence
Recommends, analyzes, and makes sense of the quantitative and qualitative inputs every strategy needs as its fuel. Knows the difference between a data point and an insight. Connects dots in bold ways. Looks ahead to be proactive, not just reactive.
ask me how to...
Design the right methodology, turn data into insights, where and how I spot emerging trends, or what I do to remain vigilant about bias.
Guided Ideation
These are the kinds of workshops that actually engage people, not the kind that could have been an email. Sometimes, they exist by themselves to quickly get teams unstuck. Other times, they stack sequentially to work through larger moments of change. Though the toolbox stays largely the same from session to session, each one is baked from scratch.
Ask me about...
The differences between in-person and virtual environments, which techniques are most effective at maximizing participation, or what my 10+ years of university instruction has taught me about how people approach group work.
© 2026. All rights reserved. Based in Boston.
Read the Disclaimer and Cookie Policy when you get a chance.
And, here's my personal note on AI + how/where I use it.
Feedback
My biggest career wins have nothing to do with logos or awards — they involve the impact I've had on other people. Here are a few things I'm especially proud others have said about working with me.
"It's like you are in my brain."
Client, after a presentation
"I'm not sure where I'd be right now if you hadn't been my line manager... you've set the bar far too high."
Direct report, in a thank-you note
"I really love how you empower the conversation by blending both intelligence and personality. It's often rare that someone can speak as an expert but also carry the room."
Project manager, in an ad-hoc message
"When Steph is involved in a project, there is confidence that the work will be thoughtfully executed and that clients will receive exceptional support and strategic counsel."
Managing Director, in a performance review
"A wonderful & knowledgable instructor with a great sense of humour. Held my attention despite class timings at the end of tiring workdays and was very engaging."
marketing student, in a course survey
"I'd be woefully remiss to let another week go by without acknowledging Sparkie, who's been kicking butt at client work, voluntarily taking the lead when it's needed on group work, and doing some favors for me specifically (like pulling a late night to help deliver a report on time when I was over capacity)."
Colleague, in a department-wide message
"Steph exemplifies all four of our values, substance, style, conviction, and grace but if I was to highlight one, it would be grace. Grace in navigating a whole array of team situations where she was either brought in too late or inconsistently. In these situations, Steph still stepped up to pitch in and offer lots of value."
chief experience officer, in a performance review
© 2026. All rights reserved. Based in Boston.
Read the Disclaimer and Cookie Policy when you get a chance.
And, here's my personal note on AI + how/where I use it.
Disclaimer
Last updated July 9, 2026WEBSITE DISCLAIMER
The information provided by Steph Parker ("I," "me," "my," "we," "us," "our") on http://www.stephparker.com (the "Site") is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on the Site. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL WE HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF THE SITE OR RELIANCE ON ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THE SITE. YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND YOUR RELIANCE ON ANY INFORMATION ON THE SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.EXTERNAL LINKS DISCLAIMER
The Site may contain (or you may be sent through the Site) links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THE SITE OR ANY WEBSITE OR FEATURE LINKED IN ANY BANNER OR OTHER ADVERTISING. WE WILL NOT BE A PARTY TO OR IN ANY WAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING ANY TRANSACTION BETWEEN YOU AND THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES.PROFESSIONAL DISCLAIMER
The Site cannot and does not contain marketing/advertising advice. The marketing/advertising information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of marketing/advertising advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.TESTIMONIALS DISCLAIMER
The Site may contain testimonials by users of our products and/or services. These testimonials reflect the real-life experiences and opinions of such users. However, the experiences are personal to those particular users, and may not necessarily be representative of all users of our products and/or services. We do not claim, and you should not assume, that all users will have the same experiences. YOUR INDIVIDUAL RESULTS MAY VARY. The testimonials on the Site are submitted in various forms such as text, audio and/or video, and are reviewed by us before being posted. They appear on the Site verbatim as given by the users, except for the correction of grammar or typing errors. Some testimonials may have been shortened for the sake of brevity where the full testimonial contained extraneous information not relevant to the general public. The views and opinions contained in the testimonials belong solely to the individual user and do not reflect our views and opinions. We are not affiliated with users who provide testimonials, and users are not paid or otherwise compensated for their testimonials.
© 2026. All rights reserved. Based in Boston.
Read the Disclaimer and Cookie Policy when you get a chance.
And, here's my personal note on AI + how/where I use it.
Notes on AI Usage + Ethics
Last updated August 16, 2026Artificial intelligence (AI) is out there, which is not exactly a groundbreaking conclusion to present — I know.I've been a user (likely an abuser) of the em dash for about as long as I've been able write, so please don't take it as an indication that my words aren't my words. If anything, AI was trained on human creations, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the bots took notice.Like many people, I have a ton of questions and concerns about AI. Some of them center around the ethics of using these technologies, while others border tin-foil hat territory regarding humanity's survival. We're at an inflection point as a species in that regard. So we're clear, that means I'm thinking about things like AI's relationship to our military-industrial complex, the systemic discrimination that takes place when big tech decides which communities to build data centers in, how quickly our insatiable appetites for tech will destroy the planet, the biases that LLMs all test positive for, etc.More practically, I am watching widespread AI adoption across my industry destroy critical thinking. I am not just parroting headlines here, I am recounting my own observations. Attempts are being made to cut out humans with machines at every stage of the work, and those who don't know any better ship slop as strategy every day. It makes me crazy. In an attempt to court clients and customers, agencies and organizations alike are productizing meaningless bullshit, slapping an AI label on it, and expecting it to do heavy lifting. I say: good luck.I feel caught between a rock and a hard place, as I'm sure many others do. Selfishly, I don't want to be labeled a dinosaur and contribute to my own obsolescence by abstaining. At the same time, I haven't any desire to engage with something I believe causes more harm than good.What that means in terms of my online presence is this: As of August 2026, I've replaced the AI generated images on my website (as in, where you are reading this right now) and the article thumbnail images for my Substack posts with photography from verified Unsplash creators. The sad truth is that I then collage them in Google Slides. I don't have an Adobe subscription and Canva is not what it once was.Generative AI usage is limited to my LinkedIn headshot, which I still don't feel great about, but it's the best option within my budget (and I invest a ton of time into making sure the images actually look like me and not a caricature). I didn't "vibe code" this website and built it component by component using my CMS. I picked the colors, the fonts, the styling, the flow, all of it.In terms of the work I produce, I use AI sparingly — either to perform a search where I ask it to cite sources on a particular subject, or as an editor that can more succinctly phrase a point I'm trying to make. I will occasionally have it ingest notes I have taken 100% on my own to draw parallels and connections between my own observations. Most often and when available, I use a company-provided AI notetaker to record meetings so that I can be fully present during conversations and look up notes or soundbites later. It doesn't stop me from scribbling in my notebook, but instead of feverishly trying to capture what someone is saying, I can capture my own ideas to expand on later. I do not believe that the current state of AI can do what a human strategist can do in terms of research, analysis, insight generation, or strategic planning. Until humans find a way to develop a synthetic intuition and program it into a bot, that will continue to be my POV. I am not exactly advocating for us to get there, but I did grow up with TNG and was rather fond of Data so I can't completely cross it out. Trek has produced some excellent material over the years exploring the concept of human vs. machine.I would like to think that my personal AI lens gets sharper and clearer by the day; I can generally sniff out something that's been written or conceived by AI, and do my best to coach teams on responsible use (as well as copywriting) so that we don't lose our edge. Or our humanity.TL;DR: My use of AI is limited, both in my practice and across my platforms. I will continue to update and add to this note as the space evolves, and am happy to address questions or concerns should you have any. Please reach out using the contact form on the main page to get in touch.Cheers,
Sparkie
© 2026. All rights reserved. Based in Boston.
Read the Disclaimer and Cookie Policy when you get a chance.
And, here's my personal note on AI + how/where I use it.
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